Car Hire Bulgaria

Hire a car in Bulgaria and experience the country's vast array of scenic offerings such as ski slopes and beautiful beaches. Book your car hire in Bulgaria today with Essential Travel and compare prices and SAVE.

Driving Requirements for Car Hire in Bulgaria

Driver requirements: You must be 20 years old to rent a car in Bulgaria and have had your license for a period of 1 year. Dipped headlights are mandatory for drivers in Bulgaria from 1st November - 1st March. The maximum allowed alcoholic limit for drivers is 0.5%. Child seats are mandatory for children up to age 2 and children will only be permitted to sit in the front seat from age 12 and older.

Safety :Some of the road conditions in Bulgaria are poor and as a result of harsh winters and underinvestment of roads in many areas, there are many potholes in the roads. It is highly advisable not to drive at night in rural areas due to livestock roaming the streets, poor visibility in the winter months and bad road conditions.

Information on Bulgaria

Situated on the Balkan peninsula's eastern side, Bulgaria is bordered by Greece and Turkey in the south, while the Danube River forms its border with Romania in the north. To the west are Macedonia and Serbia, and the country is bordered in the east by the Black Sea.

For most foreign visitors on holiday, the main attraction is the Black Sea coast with its stunning beaches and numerous large resorts. Varna is the largest city on the coast, and is considered Bulgaria's summer capital as well as its most important port.

Over half of Bulgaria is covered by mountain ranges, and the Sredna Gora and Balkan range actually divide the country in two. The south-central plains, an area called the Valley of Kings, are flanked by three mountain ranges: the Pirin, Rhodope and Rila.

In the country's interior, visitors can enjoy hiking and horseback riding along the network of well-maintained trails that wind their way through lush forested and mountainous landscapes. In the Pirin and Rila ranges, wildlife roams, including bear, lynx and birds that are seldom seen in other parts of Europe.

Sofia, the country's capital and largest city, comes into its own during the pleasant days of late spring and summer when visitors and locals are drawn to the alfresco bars and cafes in the centre, as well as its museums featuring Orthodox art. Many visitors also travel to see the Roman remains in Plovdiv, Bulgaria's second-largest city.

Tourists can visit remote rural corners of Bulgaria where life is lived in the traditional manner, as it has been for centuries. In these areas tourists can still see timber-framed houses and colourful icon-filled monasteries. Women wearing headscarves, bearded Orthodox priests, young children curious about foreign visitors and donkeys braying in the distance are the norm.